«Aincrad – 100th Floor»

«Ruby Palace»

A radiant pillar of light pierced through the shattered ceiling, stretching infinitely into the sky above Aincrad.

The very walls of the «Ruby Palace» trembled beneath its force, ancient engravings glowing in response, as if the floating castle itself bore witness to the impossible.

At its center, Hibiki Kaizaki—«Hibiki»—stood.

His sword was raised high—its hilt leveled with his face—a blade pulsating with a defiant, all-consuming brilliance.

The «Astra Nova» had finally awakened.

Akihiko Kayaba—«Heathcliff»—watched in silence, crimson robes swaying against the storm of golden light. His gaze, ever calculating, held a rare flicker of curiosity.

"Hibiki..." he mused, stepping forward, the weight of his presence unfaltering even beneath the storming light.

"...your existence truly baffles me."

The air crackled as Hibiki steadied his breath, the light from his sword raging like a dying sun.

Kayaba continued.

"You once said that everything would be meaningless... if you will not survive."

The palace quaked as the light intensified, illuminating the grand hall in violent waves of gold. The very structure of Aincrad, once unshaken, now trembled beneath Hibiki's ultimate resolve.

Kayaba watched, undeterred, yet almost... resigned.

"—And yet, here you stand. Just like a star... for everyone."

Hibiki's grip tightened. His eyes locked onto Kayaba's own—a silent clash before the inevitable storm.

"But just like a star, Hibiki..."

Kayaba's voice was smooth, absolute.

"You will shine... only to disappear."

The light surged, consuming the chamber in a blinding crescendo. Hibiki held nothing back—this was his final moment, his last defiance against fate.

"It's just as you said, Kayaba. But, even so..."

Even if his body would burn away...

Even if his soul would shatter upon the system itself...

"...Even so, I..."

He refused to fade... Not yet.

Hibiki raised his sword above his head, one last time, his voice cutting through the roaring storm—

"I will..."

The air cracked. The palace walls screamed.

"...become the LIGHT."

And with a final burst of strength, he launched forward, breaking through the raging sea of gold—toward the one who had shaped this world, toward the final trial that awaited beyond the end of all things...

Hibiki Kaizaki — His last, and final Resurgence... begins.